Denali (Mt. McKinley) South Buttress

You’ll traverse the spine of the north side of the Alaska Range for about 15 minutes, then fly through a mountain pass known as the Tralieka Col, back to the south side of the range. You’ll pass by the foreboding East Face of Denali (its only major unclimbed face) and descend down the West Fork of the Ruth Glacier. Look for pyramid-shaped Mt. Huntington off the right window, thought by many to be the most picturesque peak in North America. Though not as high as its loftier neighbors, its 3-mile long knife-edge French Ridge is one of the technically most demanding climbs in the Alaska Range.